Universal rail splice and tie plate



Feb. 9, 1932. L. KOEN 1,844,920

UNIVERSAL RAIL SPLICE AND TIE PLATE Filed Oct. 50, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I12 F 5 7 2 4/ v gwwmtoz' Lxzw Ito e n TH-Ll h 45 V dbtomqq L. KOEN Feb. 9, 1932.

UNIVERSAL RAIL SPLICE AND TIE PLATE Filed Oct. 50 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented F ch. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES LEW KOEN, OF WILKES-BARREL PENNSYLVANIA UNIVERSAL RAIL SPLICE AND TIE PLATE Application filed October 30, 1930. Serial No. 492,283.

The invention forming the subject matter of this application is a splice for the rails of railroad tracks generally, and is particularly designed to provide a combined splice and tie plate for such rails.

The main object of the invention is to provide splices or tie plates of this character which can be very quickly applied across the joint of abutting rails and can be secured very readily to the cross ties of a railroad track with a minimum number of operations and very few tools, and from which rails can be removed without disturbing tie plates, thereby preserving ties.

In the drawings: a

Figure 1 is a horizontal section of one form of splice or tie plate taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 2, and with parts broken away to show details of construction;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the splice shown in Figure 1; I

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1; a Figure 4 is a bottom plan view ofa pair of abutting rails illustrating wedge-shaped members applied to the bottom of each rail to eifect alinement of the horizontal flanges of said rails;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section of a modified form of the splice shown in Figure 1, and adapted to serve as a tie plate for the intermediate parts of the track rails; V

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of the tie plate illustrated in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 5; s

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective of a section of railroad track rail, illustrating a plate secured to the bottom flanges of such rails in order to secure them properly to a tie plate; where one side of the rail is to be kept clear as at switch track;

Figure 9 is a horizontal section of a splice or tie plate taken on the line 99 of Figure 10, and illustrating a modification of the splice shown in Figure 1; Figure 10 is a fragmentary side elevation of the splice shown in Figure -9;

Figure 11 is a horizontal section taken on the line 1111 of Figure 10;

Figure 12'is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 1212 of Figure 10;

Figure 13 is a vertical transverse section i of a tie plate taken on the line 13-13 of Figure 14; 3

Figure 14 is a horizontal section taken on the line 14-14 of Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a fragmentary section to an enlarged scale of part of the tie plate illus trated in Figure 13; and

Figure 16 is a horizontal section taken on the line 16-16 of Figure 15.

Referring now to the splice or tie plate illustrated in Figures 1 and 4 of the drawings, thereis shown a base plate 1 having a recess Zformed therein of the same depth as the depth of the plates 3 and 4 fixed to the bot tom surfaces of abutting rails 5 and 6 respectively. The base plate is provided with a pair of stop members 7 and 8 arranged symmetrically and diagonally opposite to each other on said base plate. Each of these stop members 7 and 8 is provided with an overhanging flange 9 adapted to fit, snugly, the adjacent edge of the base flange 10 of each rail.

The base plate is provided with suitable apertures 11 and 12 adjacent said stop members for the purpose of securing the plate to the cross ties of a railroad track. At corners diagonally opposite to the stop members 7 and 8, the base plate is provided with vertically projecting lugs 13 and 14 having overhanging flanges 15 adapted to contact with the upper faces of wedges 16 and 17 which are interposed between said projecting lugs and the adjacent'edge of the lower flange 10 of each rail.

It will be apparent from Figures 1 and 3 ofthe drawings that when the abutting ends of track rails are assembled inthe base plate 1, the wedges 16 and 17 may be driven up against the projecting lugs 13 and 14 to force the rails into contactwith the stop members 7 and Sand under the projecting overhanging. flanges 9. j

The upper face ofeaoh of the wedges 16 c and 17 is defined by parallel straight edges 18 and 19; and the wedge effect between the lugs 13 and 14 and the adjacent edges of the base flange of the rail is obtained by the inclination of the inner face 20 of each lug 13 and 14 relative to the edge of said flange and a corresponding wedge-shape of the downwardly rojecting part 21 of each wedge.

In or er to reinforce the web and head of the rail and also the wedge connection bctween the tie plate and the base of the rail, a member 22 fitting snugly against the side of the rail and against the vertical flange thereof is provided with a rabbct 23 at its lower edge adapted to fit over and prevent the upward rising of the overhanging flangelike ortion 24 of each wedge 16 and 17.

A ter the rails have been assembled in the splicing tie-plate 1, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, and the wedges 16 and 17 are properly driven home, the wedges are prevented from working loose on the tie plate by interposing filler plates 25 and 26 adapted to be secured in position by means of bolts 27 and 28, respectively, driven into or otherwise secured to the tie-plate 1 or to a cross tie positioned under the base plate 1 of the splice.

The wedges 16 and 17 are made of such length that when driven home their driving edges are alined with the narrow edge of each of the projecting lugs 13 and 14. The filler plates 25 and 26 are made of a width to fit snugly between the alined edges of the lugs 13 and 1a and the wedges 1G and 17, and the opposite edges of the stop members 7 and 8, thereby filling the space between the wedges and stop members so as to prevent disengaging movements between said wedges and the track rails.

In order to provide additional means for securing the base plate to the cross ties the lugs 13 and 14 have notches 29 and 30 formed in their edges in order to receive suitable spikes or bolts for securing the base plate 1 to the cross ties.

In the tie plate illustrated in Figures 5 to 8, there is a base portion 31 provided with a recess 32, one end of which is inclined to form an overhanging lip adapted to receive a correspondingly inclined edge 34 of a plate 35 welded or otherwise suitably secured to the lower face of the flange portion of a track rail 36.

The inclined edges 33 and 34 constitute a means for positioning the rail on the base plate and also form a stop tor said rail. On the side opposite these inclined edges, the base portion 31 is provided with an upwardly projecting lug 37 shaped somewhat similarly to the lugs 13 and 14 for receiving a wedge 38.

A member 39 is mounted in the channel 40 between the top and bottom flanges on one side of the rail 36, and is provided with a rabbet 41 to receive the inner edge and upper face of the wedge 38. A smaller wedge 42 of dovetail construction is forced between the correspondingly shaped edges 43 and A and on top of wedge 38 to retain the wedge 38 in proper clamping posit-ion against rail 36 and member 39.

An angle iron 45 is suitably secured to the base plate 31 with its vertical flange positioned against the alined edges of lug 37 and wedges 38 and 42 in order to lock said wedges in rail clamping position on the base plate, which may be provided with the usual notches or bolt-holes to provide for fastening it to a cross tie.

The form of splice or tie plate shown in Figures 9 to 12, inclusive, somewhat resem bles the tie plate shown in Figure 5 in operation, so far as its rail clamping function is concerned. In this form a base plate 46 has stop lugs 47 and 4.8 suitably formed or secured thereon, and each provided with an overhanging lip 49 adapted to seat over the upper face of one of the bottom flanges of the rail 50. On the opposite side of the base plate 416, stop lugs 51 and 52 are suitably secured to or formed integral with said base plate and provided with overhanging lips 53 adapted to overlap and hold down wedges 54, similar in every respect to the wedges 38, shown in Figures 5 and 7.

A fish plate 55 extends across the joint between the ends of the rails 56 and 57, and is shaped in cross section similar to the member 39, shown in Figure 7 The lower edge of this fish plate 55 is provided with a rabbet 58 adapted to receive and retain the inner edge of the wedge 54 in the same manner as this wedge is held down on the base plate in the construction shown in Figure 7. Smaller wedges 59, similar to the wedges 42 of Figures 5 and 7, are used between the sto lugs 51 and 52 and the fish plate in or er to hold the clamping wedges in proper clamping position against the lower flange oi the rails 56 and 57.

In this form of the invention a central filler plate 60 is suitably secured to the base plate 46, and is provided with vertical flanges 61 and 62 adapted to contact with the alined edges of the stop lugs 51 and 52 and the wedges 54 and 59, in order to lock these wedges in proper rail clamping position. A filler piece 63, shaped similarly to the top of the rails in cross section, may be secured in a suitably formed slot in the fish plate 55 by means of a set screw 64, in order to fill in the gap between the adjacent end of the splice rails. This filler piece is made detachable so that it can be omitted in warm weather when the ends of the rails are ex panded to substantially close the gap between them.

The tie plate shown in Figures 13, 14; and 15, is designed for use between the joint ends of a rail. Each plate comprises a base plate having a stop lug 66, suitably formed thereon or secured thereto and provided with an overhanging lip 67 adapted to receive the lower flange of the rail 68 in the recess formed by said overhanging lip. The other side of the tie plate is provided with a lug 69 shaped to receive a wedge 70, provided with an overhanging lip 71 to force the lower flange of the rail 68 against the stop lug 66 and to clamp said flange securely to the base plate 65. In this case a plate 72, provided with a vertical flange 73, is detachably connected to the base plate 65 and with its flange 73 in contact with the alined edges of the stop lug 69 and the wedge 70, in order to secure the wedge in proper clamping position on the tie plate 65 and the rail 68. This tie plate 65 is provided with the usual notches and bolt holes to adapt the plate to be secured to the usual cross ties.

While I have shown several specific embodiments of the invention, it must be understood that it is not to be limited to the forms shown in the drawings, nor in any other way except such as may be imposed by the claims appended hereto.

IVha-t I claim is:

1. The combination with a pair of rails in alinement with each other, of a splice comprising a plate adapted to be secured to a cross tie, stops on said plate over-lapping one edge of the base of each rail, lugs on said plate on the opposite sides of said rails and having overhanging lips formed thereon, a fish plate extending across the joint between said rails and in contact with the head of each rail, and wedges interposed between said lugs under the lips thereof and the lower edge of said fish plate for forcing said rails against said stops and for clamping the rails to said plate.

2. The combination with apair of rails in alinement with each other, of a splice comprising a plate adapted to be secured to a cross tie, stops on said plate over-lapping one edge of the base of each rail, a fish plate extending across the joint between said rails and in contact with the head of each rail, and means for clamping said fish plate against said rails and for clamping said rails to the first named plate.

3. The combination with a rail, of a dovetailed plate secured to the base of said rail, a tie plate having a recess adapted to receive said dovetailed plate, a wedge slidable in said recess for clamping the dovetailed plate therein, and means on said tie plate and overlapping the base of said rail for clamping the rail and said wedge against said tie plate.

for clamping the base of said rail against said tie plate.

5. The combination with a pair of rails having means secured to the base thereof for effecting alinement of one rail with the other, of a tie plate having a recess formed therein to receive said rail alining means, and means for clamping each of said rails in alined position on said tie plate.

6. The combination with a pair of rails e a. The combination with a rail, of a dovetailed plate secured to the base of said rail, a tie plate having a recess adapted to receive said dovetailed plate, and means for clampink said dovetailed plate in said recess and 

